Something Immortal
by AnonaLee
Summary: My name's Linkle. My parents were so sure I was going to be a boy that that's the best name they could come up with when I popped out as a girl. Her name's Zelda, and she makes me wish my parents had been right. Modern AU, slice of life, Zelinkle, T to be safe.
1. It's Cheesy, But

A/N: Like I need to be starting another story.

Inspired partially by my own life and the lives of people I know, here is a slice-of-life romance. I wanted to try a genre I've never done before! Most chapters will probably be mini-chapters, 1,000 words or less (really emphasizing the 'slice' part, I guess XP)

* * *

It's Cheesy, But...

I'm staring. Oh my Hylia, I'm staring so hard and she's going to notice it any second now. But maybe she'll just think I'm staring like any regular ol' Wheaton And Pita worker waiting for the customer to order already. Unless I'm blushing like I feel like I am. Then she might notice it's not that kind of stare.

She's got long, golden hair in a thick braid draped over her shoulder, wearing a white linen summer dress and leather sandals, a blue braided bracelet on one slender wrist, and I can't help but think she looks like the Goddess herself.

She lowers her gaze from the menu, and I dash away to the sink, nearly tripping on my own feet in the process. My buddy Groose reaches out as though to catch me, but I'm already disappearing to the back section of the serving area.

There aren't any dishes in the sink for me to clean. So I stand there, hearing her talking and Groose throwing some joke back at her. Oh Hylia, he's flirting with her now. I can hear his tone turn all smooth though I can't hear the exact words. It's my self-appointed duty to save customers from his clumsy flirtations but all I can do is peek my head around the corner.

She has that same smile they all have when Groose unleashes his womanizing tactics: polite but confused and uncomfortable. He's taking his time putting together the salad she ordered. With unnecessary muscle flexes thrown in for extra impressive effect.

I walk over as casually as I can manage. Don't look at her face. Oh but I can see it in the corner of my eye. As soon as Groose closes the lid on the salad, I snatch it away from him and hold it out for her to take.

"Ignore the pompadour," I say, flashing a nervous smile.

Her blue eyes meet mine. I can't see a hint of makeup, yet the color of her eyes stands out beautifully. The corners of them crinkle as she smiles for real. At me. I almost drop the salad. "Thanks." She gives a small wave as she turns to leave, and I manage a wave back.

As soon as she walks out the door, I'm tugging on Groose's sleeve. "That girl -?" I ask.

He's used to my shortened manner of speaking and understands that I'm asking who she was. He doesn't even look up from the olives he's refilling. "Dude, she's been coming here for a while now."

That means she'll probably be back again. I'm standing at the counter, foot tapping nervously, thinking of her perfect golden braid and striking blue eyes, when Groose starts laughing. I look at him in confusion.

"You're into her, aren't you?" The way I wildly look around and awkwardly fail to say anything coherent makes him laugh more. "Called it!"

I punch him in the arm before escaping to the sink once more.

* * *

I don't see her again for a few months. But I look for her every day. Groose reassures me that she still stops by and that I'm just unlucky with my shifts. I start to wonder if maybe I imagined how amazing she looked, imagined how her smile made my heart do funny things.

But then I catch a glance of her one day as I'm leaving work, and I stop in my tracks.

Yep.

I've fallen for this girl.


	2. Missing You

A/N: heyo I'm not dead, just figuring out this life thing ︎

You might see the description change a bit as I work on this. Mostly, I don't know whether to classify this character as Linkle or FemLink. Her name is Linkle but I'm modeling her character on Link's traits and the (immortal) connection between Link and Zelda; whereas Link and Linkle are distinctly separate characters that I'm aware of. Vote now lol

Ugh keeping style consistent... is hard... Especially with long breaks between writing... Also since this is based off real life, some of it seems boring to me, so I hope it's not coming across as boring to you guys...! Critiques MUCH welcome!

Missing You

She steps into line and the sight of her, so sudden in my vision, constricts my throat so that I couldn't talk even if I wanted to. Which I don't.

I'm trying to pacify a customer but I think my lack of reassuring words is only causing her to get more frustrated as I struggle to interpret the woman's order to "separate the sandwich and wrap them – no they go into two bags – no just remake it, it's a mess now." I set the sandwich down in defeat as Groose swoops in to rescue me. "Thank you," the lady crows, "he didn't understand a word I was saying!"

So I'm left standing mortified in front of The Girl (that's what Groose has been calling her, and it's become stuck in my head as the name for my unknown golden-haired crush). She isn't laughing at me, is she? I can't look up, can't risk seeing her blue eyes sharp with criticism or, worse, soft with pity. I'm waiting for her to order, hands tapping the counter.

She doesn't order, though, not yet. She asks, "How is your day going?"

My mouth twitches into a nervous smile. "Good," I manage. It's not. I want to run away.

"Well, at least until that lady came in, right?"

I glance up, and she's giving me a smile. Empathetic, amused, kind. "Customers can be... _interesting_," she adds with a certain emphasis. A whole different nervousness rushes through me at that smile and statement. She's on my side, she doesn't think I'm strange or just another bad worker. I'm practically glowing with warmth when she gives me a farewell, "I hope you don't have any more bad customers!" and a wave just for me.

"Bro, that customer was ridiculous," Groose relates to me later as we store away the breads. "She ended up ordering a totally different sandwich, and then she wanted the first one too. Old lady needs to find a hobby, man."

I suddenly drop my fist down onto the counter, his story making me remember something horrible. Groose looks down at me in concern. "That lady called me 'he'..."

"Yeah? Not the first time that's happened: I thought you didn't care?"

I'm definitely used to it, with my boyish haircut and tomboy style. But I turn mournful eyes on my friend. "_She_ was there."

Groose nods very slowly in understanding. "Okay yeah that could be a problem. Hey, maybe she swings both ways and you'll be lucky no matter who she thinks you are!"

I go home with my mind in knots, just now hitting the reality that this Goddess of mine, the very manifestation of the girl I've always dreamed of finding, may not ever dream of girls herself.


End file.
